Russell Westbrook On Kevin Durant's Injury: 'I Cannot Do Everything By Myself'

Just when everyone else is insinuating that Russell Westbrook will relish the opportunity of leading the Oklahoma City Thunder in the wake of Kevin Durant's foot injury, the all-star point guard is limiting expectations and saying all the right things as the team prepares of almost two months without the league's Most Valuable Player. Westbrook is candid in a recent interview on what adjustments he and the team has to surpass tempered expectations in Durant's absence.

Durant was diagnosed with a Jones fracture in his foot, a stress fracture in a small bone supporting his right toe. Last year's leading scorer who topped at an eye-popping 32 points per game is projected to be out until late December. The Thunder is preparing for at least 20 games without its most prominent scorer. The consolation is that the team will still have one of the league's best in carrying the load both offensively and defensively -- Westbrook. The mercurial guard deflected questions on what changes he has to do to carry the load, with many suggesting that he might take 30 shots a game to bring wins to the team.

"It's not about me. It's about our team. I can't win games by myself. I can't do anything by myself," Westbrook said per ESPN Monday. "I kind of want to take the attention off me and put it more on the team."

Westbrook also relayed that he has already talked to Durant on the make-up of the team and the latter is in high spirits despite being sidelined. The penetrating heavy guard also said the Durant is going to put in all the work to return as scheduled or even sooner. Thunder coach Scott Brooks also chimed into the situation and admitted that the club will have to adjust without Durant. He called his squad still "good" but can only be great when Durant can finally come back to playing form. Brooks admitted that the team cannot replace the scoring efficiency, playmaking and defence of Durant and will have to rely on a team effort to compete night in and out in his absence.

The Thunder made the Western Conference finals last year but lost out to eventual champions San Antonio Spurs in six outings. The past two years have been brutal to health of the Thunder as it lost key players during the playoffs. Westbrook went down in the first round against the Houston Rockets in the 2013 playoffs and the Thunder made an early exit against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round. Last year, the team had to field in a one-legged Serge Ibaka that led to its eventual demise. This early, the team is already bracing for the biggest setback in Durant.

Brooks added that he has belief in his team's ability to handle adversity as it has shown in the past. He concludes that the absence of Durant is an opportunity for other players to step up.